Page 55 of A Flighty Fake Boyfriend
The grief I had acknowledged that morning was for what might have been, not the reality of what Luis and I had had when we were together. I knew that now.
Epic hesitated another few seconds, then he nodded, squeezed my hand, and walked away.
I turned back to Luis and William. “What is it, Luis? I’ve been shopping all day, and I’m tired.”
“So brittle.” Luis moved next to me. “You never did enjoy shopping.”
But I had today. “I suppose that depends on what I’m shopping for.”
“Luis has spoken about you quite a bit,” said William. “I admit I’ve been very curious to see you for myself.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh yes.” William’s voice was silky and sweet with just a hint of soprano saxophone. It probably helped in his work. He could doubtless seduce a jury if he used the tone he was using with me. “I always wondered what it was about you that he simply couldn’t let go.”
“Obviously he let go a little.”
“Nevertheless, I am very intrigued.” He moved from blocking my way to walking in a slow circuit around me. All the while, he seemed to study me. I felt distinctly uncomfortable under his scrutiny and began to wonder why we were really there.
“What is this?” I turned to Luis.
“I’m jealous of you, Ryan,” William said baldly. “I have been since Luis and I met.”
“Luis is the one who broke things off, not me. He didn’t want me then, and he sure as hell doesn’t want me now. He’s marrying you tomorrow. This is ridiculous.” I made to step around him, but he caught my arm in a viselike grip.
“Is it?” William asked. “Do you know why I asked him to invite you?”
“Not really.” Dear God. This had all the hallmarks of Luis’s deep intrigues. I’d have put it down to reading the classics at an impressionable age, but of course, I had too, and I didn’t like any kind of drama. This was one of the things we’d fought about.
“I asked him to invite you so I could get a good look at the man he can’t forget.”
“I think that’s my cue to leave.”
Luis stepped into my path. “Just hear him out, please.”
“If he lets me go.” I met William’s gaze until his fingers loosened.
“I didn’t mean for this to be confrontational.” William changed tactics, now choosing a more conciliatory tone. “I hoped I’d get to speak with you privately at the party, but you brought your little waiter.”
“My—”
“Really,” Luis laughed. “I was prepared to meet Lawrence Dunbar. He was your original plus-one, was he not? Our wedding planner was beside herself.”
“Yes.”
“Pity he couldn’t make it.” William and Luis exchanged glances. “That would have been interesting.”
“Did you simply ask the first man you found to accompany you? Or did you choose Epic because he’s young and pretty?”
I hated his tone. “This is beginning to feel very insulting.”
“It’s not meant to be. Not at all.” William leaned against Luis, who wrapped him in his arms. “It’s meant to…well, to assuage my curiosity.”
“And how can I do that? You’ve seen me. I’m not all that interesting.”
“But I’ll always be curious about the man in his past, don’t you see? So we made a bargain, Luis and I.”
“Oh?” I didn’t like the sound of this.
